Wu Tian did not notice that when he used his Talent for Seeking Auspiciousness and Avoiding Calamity to sense the area halfway up the mountain, he had alarmed an existence cultivating in seclusion there.
Zhu Yushuang was already a True Person of Nascent Soul. After suppressing the Fire Aperture at Skull Mountain for sixty years, she had gradually subdued its fiery nature in recent years. Her Dao heart had become tranquil and merged with Heaven and Earth, allowing her to enter an extremely profound state.
She had merged her Primordial Spirit with Heaven and Earth, comprehending the wondrous principles governing the movement of all things.
This was originally something only a loose immortal who had perfected a dharma form could accomplish. After sixty years of arduous cultivation, Zhu Yushuang had entered this wondrous state by a twist of fate, which also showed that she was not far from the realm of loose immortals.
Her Primordial Spirit had merged with Heaven and Earth. Thus, when Wu Tian used his innate perception, she immediately noticed something amiss.
The Talent for Seeking Auspiciousness and Avoiding Calamity was originally difficult for beings below the realm of loose immortals to detect. Only after perfecting a dharma form and practicing Heaven and Earth Manifestation to merge with Heaven and Earth could one respond to every touch and know auspiciousness, calamity, fortune, and misfortune.
But Zhu Yushuang's Primordial Spirit had now merged with Heaven and Earth. Drawn by the currents of energy, she discovered Wu Tian's presence.
"So it was this white dog." With her Primordial Spirit merged with Heaven and Earth, Zhu Yushuang saw every inch of Wu Tian, inside and out, in a single thought. "Interesting. This little fellow actually possesses such a talent. Could I have misjudged him before?"
Her interest was piqued. With a movement of her mind, the power of Heaven and Earth naturally gathered, and Wu Tian vanished from where he stood.
Wu Tian was nearly scared out of his wits. Only after regaining his senses did he realize that he was no longer atop Skull Mountain, but near a hot spring.
His mind was in turmoil, yet his Talent for Seeking Auspiciousness and Avoiding Calamity told him that this place contained an immense opportunity.
"Where is this?!"
Just as he was puzzled, a thread of clear music entered his spirit, as if it had sounded directly in his heart.
"Little fellow, did you just awaken another new talent?"
The moment Wu Tian heard that voice, he knew who it was. Delight appeared on his face. "Senior, is that you?"
He barked excitedly.
"I'm communicating with you through my Primordial Spirit and thoughts. You only need to calm your mind and focus on the words you wish to speak. I'll be able to sense them." Zhu Yushuang chuckled softly before replying.
Wu Tian was overjoyed and hurriedly did as told. "Senior, it really is you?! Is Chili Mu doing well?"
"Right, I did awaken a new talent just now. I also discovered some extremely terrifying things."
Recalling all the sights he had witnessed moments ago, he hurriedly told her everything he had discovered.
Even Wu Tian, foolish as he was, understood by now that the opportunity he had sensed halfway up the mountain was actually this Senior.
This Senior was not only Chili Mu's master, but also the opportunity that allowed him to turn calamity into good fortune during Skull Mountain's destruction. How could he dare conceal anything? He immediately revealed everything, holding nothing back and explaining every detail.
Upon hearing this, Zhu Yushuang could not help frowning. Although she had merged her Primordial Spirit with Heaven and Earth by a twist of fate and could comprehend the principles governing Heaven and Earth's movement like a loose immortal, she did not possess a loose immortal's divine ability to know fortune and misfortune.
Only after hearing Wu Tian's account did she part the veil of Heaven's secrets and sense the danger. "It seems that old thief still isn't willing to give up!"
A fierce glint flashed through her eyes. "If I carelessly fall into his scheme, he really might ruin my cultivation."
With her cultivation and methods, she naturally did not fear the master of Skull Mountain. Although they were both True Persons of Nascent Soul, if they truly fought to the death, she was confident she could destroy his Primordial Spirit within the time it took an incense stick to burn.
Back when she had been in the Central Plains, she had cut down demons and fiends in every direction. In the Eastern Sea, she had slaughtered flood dragons with merciless ferocity. She was known as the Rakshasa Immortal—how could that reputation have been undeserved?
The mere master of Skull Mountain, who had achieved the Primordial Spirit through unorthodox and crooked methods, was not worthy of her regard.
It was just that she now had to suppress the Fire Aperture, and her cultivation would be perfected in another ten years. Once she engaged in a major battle, the Earth Fire would surge into the sky, and the land within a thousand miles would be ravaged by it. Who knew how many living beings would die or be injured?
When that happened, the resulting karmic entanglement would bind her in sin, and she would probably have no choice but to reincarnate and cultivate anew.
Not to mention that, according to this white dog's account, outside enemies would also attack when the time came. That Old Devil would likely invite other demons and fiends to join forces with him.
If she were alone, then even if she had to fight across a thousand miles, she would use the sword in her hand to slay every invading enemy.
But now she was sitting in seclusion at the Fire Aperture, unable to move her true body. That made things rather troublesome.
Zhu Yushuang pondered for a long while before finally making up her mind. "The Fire Aperture is of great importance. If demons and fiends take advantage of it, it may cause a terrible disaster. I can only seek reinforcements from the sect."
"It's just a pity that the old immortal will probably laugh at me then."
"Hmph!"
She was proud and arrogant. In the past, she would rather have died and seen her cultivation scattered than endure ridicule from anyone.
But in these sixty years of suppressing the Fire Aperture, she had not merely been suppressing the Earth Fire. She had also been subduing her own heart, ensuring that her mind would not be disturbed by the Seven Emotions and Six Desires. With a heart like drifting clouds, she remained eternally at ease. This was the subtlety of the Dao heart, and only in this way could one glimpse the path of Heaven and Earth Manifestation.
Zhu Yushuang looked at Wu Tian and suddenly sensed something. "My encountering this white dog, and being able to learn of the disaster through it, may not be a coincidence..."
"I have suppressed the ten-thousand-year Fire Vein here for sixty years and accumulated merit. Naturally, fortune has gathered around me, allowing me to turn calamity into good fortune."
"Personal cultivation is important, but if one cannot accumulate external merit, understand Heaven's mandate, or recognize the workings of Heaven, then one will ultimately remain without affinity for the Great Dao. Once disaster descends, one will be reduced to ashes."
With this thought, she felt her Dao heart rise another level. The door to the dharma form, which had originally still been some distance away, was now within reach.
Zhu Yushuang was instantly overjoyed. If her sixty years of sitting in seclusion could allow her to prove the dharma form and attain the realm of a loose immortal, then she could roam freely for a thousand years. How carefree would that be?
"Wonderful, wonderful! The workings of Heaven's Dao, the opportunities, disasters, fortune, and misfortune—truly, they are indescribably wondrous!"
She looked at Wu Tian. Seeing his snow-white fur and his ability to know fortune and misfortune, she realized he was truly a rare auspicious beast, and a touch of fondness and delight arose in her heart.
"My disciple really is favored by Heaven. Not only does she possess the Li Fire Dao Body, she also has such an auspicious beast accompanying her. Her fortune in the future will surely be boundless, and the Great Dao may be within her reach."
"Since that is so, I'll grant it an opportunity."
Zhu Yushuang transmitted her voice through her Primordial Spirit and thoughts. "Little fellow, Chili Mu is doing very well with me. She is currently cultivating in seclusion and cannot come to see you."
"I already know everything you told me. Rest assured, with me here, no matter what disaster comes, you will be safe."
"I'll give you a Golden Talisman. You may freely enter and leave the mountain gate, and you may also come here to play by the hot spring."
"When disaster erupts, just come here to take shelter. Your life will surely be safe."
Upon hearing this, most of Wu Tian's previous worry immediately vanished. He replied through his mind, "Thank you, Senior! Thank you, Senior!"
Before his voice had even faded, a Golden Talisman descended from the sky and sank directly into the Bronze Bell hanging from his neck. It fused with the bell's clapper, shining bright and golden. When the wind blew, it struck the bell's wall, producing crisp, tinkling chimes.
"You warned me in advance of this disaster, so your contribution is considerable. Although the secret arts of my sect cannot be passed on to you, I once obtained several wondrous techniques while traveling beyond the mountain. Practicing them for a long time will benefit you greatly. You may cultivate them diligently."
As her words fell, two streams of light, one purple and one scarlet, descended from the sky. This time, they sank directly into the center of Wu Tian's brow.
"Little fellow, cultivate diligently. If you can perfect your Cauldron Body and become a Spiritual Beast within ten years, transforming into human form, I can take you back to the mountain gate."
"Go!"
Wu Tian had already been stunned senseless by this sudden succession of pleasant surprises. Upon hearing Senior's words, he immediately prostrated himself and kowtowed in gratitude for the opportunity.
When he rose, his Talent for Seeking Auspiciousness and Avoiding Calamity sensed that the black clouds and blood light over Skull Mountain still remained, but the Fire Fiend underground had nearly vanished.
Moreover, the sense of danger that the black clouds and blood light gave him had weakened by more than half.
"This place truly is my blessed land. Every time I come here, I can turn calamity into good fortune and meet disaster with auspiciousness!"
Delight filled Wu Tian's heart. For a time, he was unwilling to leave. He plunged headfirst into the hot spring, sending ripples and splashing waves across the water. He had not bathed in a very long time, and his entire body felt incomparably refreshed.
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